The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for exercising.
Methods and apparatuses of the above mentioned general type are known in the art. One of such apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,358 to Majewski, issued on Jun. 27, 1972. A massage device consisting of plurality of rollers having projections would not be able to provide smooth contact with a portion of the body and can create an irritation of the skin in some cases.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,6767,638 to Shefi, issued on Oct. 14, 1994 a massaging device constructed as a set of disc-shaped rollers mounted on the ends of transversely positioned axles. The square of the contact of the device with a body on a square unit is twice bigger compare with the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,358 and requires twice stronger efforts to provide the same depth of massaging effect. It also does not correlate well to a body structure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,182 to Engel, issued on Jul. 1 ,1997 an apparatus is applying rolling massaging pressure to opposite sides of bodily extremity that significantly limited the type and quality of therapeutic movement during the sessions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,616 to Panahpour, issued on Jan. 10, 1989 a massaging apparatus is having a plurality of balls mounted in a carrier and while on projecting ball portion is in contact with a user""s body the other projecting ball portion is in contact with the floor or other relatively rigid surface. This creates serious restrictions by a user on a type of movement or a place of the application to the body.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,484 to Burnham, issued on Mar. 10, 1998 a massager is having a plurality of balls mounted on a web network grid which does not allow a user to provide a cross section movements to the body and limits the type and quality of therapeutic movement during the sessions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,956 to Griffin, issued on May 13, 1986 a magnetic therapeutic device is having a plurality of magnets with fixed north and south poles positions in an application that could limit therapeutic benefits.
In U.S. Pat. No, 5,803,896 to Chen, issued on Sep. 8, 1998 a magnetic device has a local and static application to a user""s ears along with hormonal supplementation. The device is limited in applications and has not been designated to be part of an exercise program.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,000 to Souder, issued on Oct. 6, 1998 the application of the moving magnetic field is limited to a horizontal or vertical direction with a fixed orientation of the poles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,983 to Dawes et all, issued on Oct. 6, 1998 an aerobic bouncing chair for performing a variety of aerobic, body strengthening, stretching and lymphatic circulation exercises. The device is not portable and the system allows exercising with limited range of motions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,311 to Coates, et all, issued on Mar. 2, 1999 a rebound-type exercise device allows an individual to perform a sit and bounce exercise. The device is not portable and the system allows exercising with limited range of motions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,185 to Gongwer et all, issued on May 15, 1990 an exercise method provides increased heart rates and respiration while introducing variable resistance through a combination of muscular resistance aided by mechanical forth transference. Due to difference in strength of different group of muscles involved in work out the effectiveness of the exercise and the user""s range of motions are limited.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,430 to Dardik, issued on Apr. 16, 1991 describes a rhythmic biofeedback technique as a deviation of a heart rate while work out inside a target heart rate zone and relaxation.
In conclusion, a need exists for developing therapeutic exercise program that is enjoyable, safe and simple, effective, universal and affordable and could combine work out with resistance with massage, reflexology, and acupressure at the same time. It also requires a simple and portable device, which could allow one to start the system in almost any environment. Complementation the system with magnetic therapy can add some therapeutic benefits to the program.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for exercising, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for exercising which achieves substantial health maintenance, rehabilitation, improvement of athletic performance, or to reaching a high level of vitality, etc.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated, in a method of exercising in accordance with which a belt including a plurality of substantially oval elements is applied around a part of a body, the ends of the belt are kept by hands of an exercising person, and successive punching-imitating movements are performed by the hands of the exercising person, so that the oval bodies of the belt provide massaging, acupressure and reflexology actions at the same time.
In accordance with another feature of present invention, an inventive apparatus is formed as a belt which is provided with a plurality of oval elements, with free ends of the belt adapted to be grasped by an exercising person which will then deliver punching-imitating movements, so that the oval body provide massaging, acupuncture, and reflexology actions to a part of the body at the same time.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.